SkyAlmanac

ISS

ISS passes over Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

Upcoming visible passes of the International Space Station over Birmingham, England, United Kingdom. A pass is "visible" when the station is sunlit against a dark sky.

Birmingham, England, United Kingdom sits at 52.5° latitude, poleward of the ISS orbit, so the station never climbs above roughly 77° over the southern horizon here. Pick a spot with an open view in that direction.

Upcoming visible passes over Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

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Spotting the Space Station

The ISS looks like a bright, steady star gliding across the sky in a few minutes — no blinking lights. It is only visible when it is still catching sunlight while your sky is dark, so passes cluster in the couple of hours after dusk and before dawn.

Visibility comes in streaks: the orbit precesses, so a city gets a run of evening passes for a week or two, then a quiet spell, then a run of pre-dawn passes. If nothing is listed right now, check back within a few days.

Data: N2YO, Meeus astronomical algorithms. How we calculate this

Frequently asked questions

How high in the sky does the ISS get over Birmingham, England, United Kingdom?

From Birmingham, England, United Kingdom (latitude 52.5°) the ISS never rises above about 77° over the southern horizon, because the station's orbit is inclined 51.6° to the equator. Passes here always hug that side of the sky.

How often can you see the ISS from Birmingham, England, United Kingdom?

The station orbits every ~93 minutes, but you only see it when it is sunlit against a dark sky. Visible passes come in runs of several evenings or mornings every few weeks, with 1–3 sightings per night during a run.

What does the ISS look like?

A bright, steady, fast-moving star — often brighter than Venus — crossing the sky in 2–6 minutes. It does not blink; anything flashing is an aircraft.

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